In the war-ravaged streets of Gaza, a profound generational crisis is unfolding as children increasingly assume adult responsibilities amid the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. The conflict that erupted in October 2023 has created a devastating reality where minors have become primary breadwinners for families decimated by violence and loss.
Eleven-year-old Mahmoud Abu Awda navigates through muddy, damaged streets of Gaza City clutching a small plastic box of biscuits and canned goods. His worn-out shoes sink into puddles left by winter rains as he attempts to sell enough to sustain his family. “I became the eldest and the only provider after my father was killed,” Abu Awda explains. “My mother is sick, and my brothers are still very young.”
The phenomenon extends throughout the Gaza Strip. In Khan Younis, 13-year-old Yasmin Khader scavenges through piles of garbage adjacent to her family’s makeshift displacement camp, collecting plastic scraps for sale. Her academic aspirations of becoming a doctor vanished when her father perished in an airstrike. “Now I work because there is no one else to support my mother and sister,” she states.
Meanwhile, in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood, Abbas al-Ghazali, also 13, sells water bottles despite sharply declining sales during winter months. He carries his schoolbag with him while working, occasionally reading books during breaks. “I used to be an excellent student,” he remarks wistfully.
According to local authorities, the conflict has produced severe developmental consequences for Gaza’s youth. The Hamas-run government media office reports thousands of children lacking safe shelter or environments conducive to healthy development. With education disrupted for over two years and numerous schools damaged or destroyed, child labor has surged dramatically. Public spaces including markets and streets have become commonplace workplaces for children forced from classrooms.
Psychologist Ghadeer Al-Muqayyad, specializing in child development in Gaza City, emphasizes that the conflict has thrust children into situations exceeding their emotional and physical capacities. “These children endure trauma, loss, displacement, and exposure to violence, which can result in symptoms of post-traumatic stress,” she explains. Prolonged stress increases risks of anxiety, behavioral challenges, and emotional withdrawal among minors.
The rise in child labor exposes vulnerable youth to dangerous conditions while threatening their long-term wellbeing. Al-Muqayyad stresses that “reintegrating children into safe learning environments is essential to reducing the psychological impact of the conflict”—a challenging prospect given the ongoing humanitarian crisis and infrastructure damage throughout the region.